Cybernetic Queen
by T'Reilani
Summary: Shattered Glass. A power-hungry Autobot initiates a relationship with Optimus Prime, hoping to take over as leader, or at least gain enough of his trust to influence his decisions. But…could those be actual feelings she has for him? Rated for sex and lots of violence; avoid if this is not your cup of tea.
1. Prologue

**READ FIRST: AUTHOR'S NOTE AND WARNINGS: These are NOT the characters you know from Technorganic-verse or Fragile-verse. This fic contains death, torture including non-explicit rape, slavery, sex-charged power struggles, and lots of really psychotic main characters. Kind of like "Game of Thrones" with Transformers and less incest. Come to think of it, that's probably where this fic came from. Too much "Game of Thrones" and my twisted brain. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.**

**Still reading? Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you. Seriously, you've had a summary, a rating, and an author's note, so don't come complaining to me that this story isn't something you like. I put them there for a reason.**

**Obligatory disclaimer: **You know who my OCs are and I don't own any characters that you recognize from specifics would be a spoiler. I also do not own the few lyrics that I used to set the mood for the prologue.

_**Cybernetic Queen**_

_**With perfect skills**_

_**She learns their wills**_

_**And then she gives them all her fantasies**_

_**Forbidden dreams**_

_**She brings them down**_

_**Down on their knees**_

**- from Cybernetic Queen by Iron Savior**

_**Prologue**_

Once upon a time, she had been nothing more than an organic female, working her way through the ranks of the relatively small Terran Empire, her ultimate aim to rise to power.

Then, she had been caught on a small, backwater world and enslaved, like so many other organics, to the mechanical creatures who dominated this and many other planets.

But she was strong. She not only survived, she thrived. She learned everything of these new beings, studying their mechanisms, their beings, their very core. And driven by the hungry ambition that had replaced any softness in her heart long ago, she waited for the time to strike.

A human, Doctor Arkeville, had the knowledge she needed, and with a few well-timed incentives, he was fully willing to do whatever she asked, just as males always had been. And some thought _men_ were the rulers? No – she knew the truth. Any man could be bought by a woman who knew what she was doing.

And when the doctor had given her the new body and the abilities that she desired, so that she could walk as one of the metal overlords, she ensured that no one would _ever_ gain from him again. Dead men tell no tales, it was said, and in his case, not even his remains would tell tales. She torched the secret lab and left it, and him, to burn.

Then she went to their leader and informed him that he had a new ally. Perhaps intrigued by what she had done, or simply desiring of more manpower, he allowed her to remain. No one knew now if he had regretted that decision; the femme had risen to sub-commander of the scout ranks far faster than she should have been capable. Some of the bolder mechs whispered that she had talent, yes, but she never got promotions based on _that_. No, she worked her way through the leaders just as she had done in the Empire, but her results were far better now.

And yet she kept the name she had been given as an organic, and only added allegiances to it. Someday, that name would be known all over the universe, as it already was on Cybertron and Earth.

Riella of the Autobots.

**Yessss. It's the mirror universe, and Riella is EVIL. A lot like Airachnid, if you remove the genocidal habit and replace it with a give-sex-get-power habit. And no spider motif. The sadistic streak is pretty much the same. Love to hate her yet? If so, good. I already do. **


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

_**One day ago, Nevada desert**_

The Decepticon Seeker struggled frantically, but between his shredded legs and the vise-grip on his arms, he was helpless against the Autobot currently pinning him to the ground. Scarlet plating scraped against his throat as long, slender fingers pressed into the cables at his shoulders and yanked one free with lethal precision. With one final spastic jerk, his body went limp.

"Don't worry," a deceptively soft voice whispered right against his audio. "The paralysis is temporary and I left you all your nerve endings. No loss of feeling."

The Seeker found he wasn't too proud to beg a little, even when this femme's reputation told him it would do no good. "Please…you don't need to kill me, I swear, I'll -"

"Shhh." The femme traced one fingertip down his cheek, gentle with just a slight sting as she touched a cut. The purple designs painted onto her white face gave her an alien, sinister look that canceled out her natural attractiveness. "Shh. Just one thing I want. Then you'll never see me again."

"N-never?" The Seeker's optics widened with desperate hope. "You'll let me go?"

The femme's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Of course." She lifted that sharp fingertip again. "Although…" Before the Seeker could move, or even _blink_, a thin line of blazing pain sliced along his throat. Suddenly, neither his vocalizer nor his neck cables would function, and a warm gush of energon from his main lines flooded over his throat and chest. "You'll notice I didn't specify how."

The last thing he saw, as his optics slowly faded to gray with the rest of his body, was the femme licking his energon off the stiletto on her fingertip and smiling.

"Riella!" The tactician yelled her name harshly, probably not the first time if his tone was any judge. "What the slag are you waiting for? They called a retreat and everyone left here is offline or one of us. So get your aft moving!"

The femme took her time obeying, cleaning her fingertip with her glossa before rising to saunter leisurely past the commander of this particular unit. "Oh, I'm sure you'd just _love_ that, wouldn't you, Prowl?" she purred, making sure to _almost_ brush her hip against his. "Unfortunately for you…I prefer to be the one who decides what happens with my aft."

Prowl rolled his optics with a glare in her direction. Unlike most mechs, he seemed to be all but immune to Riella's charms. Speculation in the ranks was that he really did want her, but somehow managed to not show it just to drive her crazy. Riella, for one, had never voiced an opinion on the subject. "Just move out now, before I cut your transform module and leave you to walk back to base."

"Awww…" Riella faked a hurt pout, which due to the face paint and energon streaks was nothing even close to effective. "You wouldn't really, would you?"

"Do not tempt me, femme. Do _not_ tempt me."

_**Present day, New Iacon (Autobot base)**_

Colorful limbs detangled slowly as the femme pulled herself free from the dark mech's embrace, humming in satisfaction as she settled back against the silky sheets. The mech stroked her jaw before kissing her possessively, rasping in her audio, "You are _so _fragging gorgeous right now…"

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Mirage," Riella purred, tracing one fingertip down the back of his neck teasingly. "You know I've got an official meeting in an hour, and I can't show up covered in your paint. Or, for that matter…" She gestured to the remaining hints of purple on her face. "This. You _know _Prowl demands regulation looks on base."

Mirage pouted. It made him look cute. "Why not? Come on, don't tell me you're scared of him…" His tone sharpened and the cuteness disappeared. "Is it Jazz and his twin? Are they going to be there?"

"Aww, is someone jealous?" Riella teased, pushing him away gently but firmly. "Maybe they'll be there, maybe they won't. Either way, _strictly_ business."

"Nothing with you is _ever _just business," Mirage growled. "Especially not when those two are in the room. And when it's not them, it's someone else."

Riella sighed and flipped gracefully off the bed, affording Mirage a very nice view of her frame as she did. "I don't want to go over this again right now. I'll be in the washracks."

"Wait, baby." Mirage followed her. "I didn't mean it, you know that. You're…_special_, that's all. The psycho twins – you're too good for them. They don't deserve you."

The femme smiled and blew him a kiss. "You're sweet. I'll catch you after the meeting, okay?" A quick wave, and then she was gone.

Precisely forty-five minutes later, free of any remaining non-regulation paint and with her scarlet armor polished to a high gleam, Riella glided through the door to the small atrium that adjoined the throne room. To her surprise, despite the length of time until the scheduled meeting, she was not alone. Optimus Prime stood at the head of the table, his back to the door. Even though she had entered quietly, the femme knew that he was fully aware of her presence, and not particularly pleased.

"My lord." She dropped to her knees quickly and slightly less than gracefully, attempting to cover her own unpleasant shock. Riella was accustomed to arriving well before anyone else; it gave her a certain psychological edge to be sitting and waiting, unsummoned, when her superiors entered. Prime's presence could only mean that this meeting was not routine. "I apologize for intruding. I was not aware that you were using this room." Having remained on the ground for the requisite amount of time, she rose and backed away, optics lowered in respect. "I shall return at a later time, when –"

"No." Optimus Prime's deep voice rumbled from where he still stood with his back to her. "You will remain."

Riella froze in her tracks, processor racing. "As you wish, my lord."

He turned slowly to face her, dark red optics burning into her lighter ones. "I know you. One of Jazz's scouts, under Prowl's command, yes? The former organic."

"Yes, my lord," she murmured, lowering her gaze. Prime was not a mech to cross, no matter whether his bodyguards were close or not. Especially when he seemed to have taken an unusual interest in her.

"And according to certain members of my personal guard, you have a relationship with another spy, yet seem to have no difficulty with the occasional trip to the medical center. Perhaps your spy is not quite satisfactory for someone with your…ambition."

_Damn you, Ratchet. I swear, I'll make sure he doesn't get anyone, mech or femme, for a month. 'Discreet' my aft. _Riella's face remained as impassive as she could manage. "You have excellent informers, my lord."

"I do." Prime studied her for a long moment, looking her up and down with none of the intrigue she was accustomed to drawing. "Why did you come here?"

Fear caused her spark to pulse a touch faster. One wrong word now and things would go _very _badly. "I – I have a meeting, my lord. With –"

"I know the meeting schedule." Prime's optics narrowed dangerously. "You are far too early for this to be a simple arrival, but not early enough to be meeting someone. Are you here to unsettle my third-in-command, perhaps?"

Riella somehow kept from trembling. "Yes, my lord. Arriving first tends to move one further ahead in any possible battle of processors."

Prime nodded slowly. "Indeed it does." He took a step closer. "Look at me, femme."

She raised her head and met his optics, determined to convey no emotions other than respect.

"Intelligent enough to obey," Prime commented, optics narrowed in thought. "A rare quality in most of my followers." He turned away abruptly. "Sit. Your commander will arrive momentarily. I see no reason for you to lose your advantage."

Confused but relieved, the femme obeyed.


	3. Chapter 2

**First, my apologies for a few mistakes in the last chapter. Apparently, my mental spell-checker fell asleep on the job. And second, yes, Bumblebee is called Goldbug here. It's canon and I like it. The second reason is probably why it's in here. And third, yes, Sides is a 'Con. That's canon too. **

_**Chapter 2**_

_**New Iacon**_

"…And I personally believe capturing a Decepticon would be in our best interests regardless of his or her level of knowledge." Prowl finally seemed to be ending his long, tactical explanation of a rather simple plan. "They have a rather annoying tendency to attempt rescues which may work in our favor. As you are all aware, their higher officers often participate in said rescues, which might allow us to –"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Goldbug interrupted from halfway down the table. "You're gonna use the 'Con to bait a trap for Megatron. Anything you were going to say that we _couldn't_ figure out?"

Jazz leaned over Riella, brushing a little closer than was strictly professional, and smacked the yellow 'bot across the back of the helm, hard. "Shut up, kid, or next time it won't be me that hits you. _Was _there anything else, Prowl?"

"Ah – no." The tactician, visibly irritated, took his seat. "That was all."

"Good." Jazz smirked and settled back, brushing up against Riella again. She pressed her lipplates together, shifted in her seat, and slammed the point of her heel into the top of his foot.

"Primus-dammit! Ow!"

Riella smiled innocently, tracing the outline of her left hand on the table with her right forefinger. "Oops. My bad."

Her immediate commander glared at her, muttering low in his throat, "You're going to regret that, femme," before clearing his oral intake and returning to a semi-professional expression. "Now, does everyone understand their part in this plan?"

Nods and murmurs of assent came from every mech and femme at the table.

"Good. You're dismissed." Jazz leveled a finger at Riella. "Not you."

Elita One elbowed the red femme on her way out, whispering, "Ooh, tough luck. Maybe someday you'll actually manage to catch the attention of someone a little higher-up than a _bodyguard_."

Riella growled. "Go screw yourself."

"Oh, I don't need to do that. I've got the future Autobot leader." Elita smirked and sauntered out of the atrium, Riella glaring at her back. _You're glitched if you think Rodimus is ever going to manage a real takeover. That kind of thing takes subtlety, which is the exact _opposite _of you and Rodimus. Just wait and see. _

Riella's thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Jazz grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, slamming her against the wall and snarling in her face. "What, exactly, makes you think you can try to bully _me_?"

"The same thing that makes you think you can touch without my permission," the red femme spat, shoving against him. "Get away from me!"

She grunted in pain as Jazz backhanded her across the face, knocking her into the doorframe. He did it again, and again, punctuating his words with blows. "You do _not –_ " *slap* " – challenge me!" *slap* "_Ever!_"

Panic rose in Riella's throat. Jazz could go well beyond vicious when he was angry, and she for one had no intent of being on the receiving end of any more of it. Twisting slightly, she jammed her thigh into his groin, hard. The mech released her, doubling over with a groan for a second before grabbing her wrist and throwing her to the ground. "_What_ did I just – GET OFF ME!"

Prowl frowned, looking down at the mech he was currently holding up by one arm and a shoulder plate. "Mmm…no."

"I said _GET OFF!" _Jazz flailed and twisted, trying to kick the tactician away, but Prowl's added height allowed him to easily prevent any contact.

"I don't think so. Go bully your brother for a while." When Jazz started to snarl a retort, Prowl twisted his arm slightly. "Now you _know _I don't like this kind of thing in public meeting rooms. Keep your issues to yourself." With that, he tossed the smaller mech bodily out into the hall. "Go on, scram."

Jazz struggled to his feet, hissing, "You'll _both _pay for that! Watch your backs!"

"I already do." Prowl rolled his optics.

Riella brushed herself off and regained her composure. "Hmm, now this is interesting. Maybe you _do _like me…"

Prowl caught her shoulder and stared at her intensely. "Don't even _think _about pulling that slag on me. I don't like you, and I don't like your methods of getting what you want. But I like Jazz and _his _methods even less. And since I will undoubtedly pay for that little incident in more ways than one, you owe me more than you could ever pay back in the berth. Do you understand me?"

"Of course." Riella wriggled free and eyed him nervously. "Is this your way of saying you'll back me if it comes to a power struggle?"

"_If _it came to that, I would not back Jazz, and that is _all." _Prowl turned away deliberately and stalked out without anything further.

Riella watched him go, relief warring with frustration. _I could have handled that. And that was a pretty obvious way of taking sides, even for him. What are you up to, Prowl?_ She removed a small comlink from her wrist compartment and opened a private channel. "Arcee, I need a favor."

::Ooh goodie. Does 't involve 'Lita?:: The younger femme's accent was emphasized by her excitement.

The red femme laughed. "Not this time. I just want to know what Prowl's been up to for the last few hours. Think you could do that _quietly?_"

::Sure!:: Arcee was probably twitching, as usual. ::An' I get a reward outta this, right?::

"Of course you do."

_**Decepticon Base**_

Sideswipe adjusted the grenades on his weapons belt. "So. Get into the outpost, set charges, get out, detonate. I miss anything?"

"Negative." Soundwave nodded in approval. "Remember, there is no wait time on the charges. You need to detonate from a safe distance."

"Consider it done." Sideswipe looked down to see Ravage rubbing on his leg and purring, and obliged the cat with a scratch behind the audios.

Soundwave continued. "Our intelligence reports none of the Autobot heavyweights at the Omega post, so you should have no trouble remaining undetected, but don't take any chances. I highly doubt Rodimus or Jazz could show up without attracting attention, but Prowl and the red femme – what was her name?"

"Riella or Elita?"

"Riella. They have a nasty habit of showing up when they aren't supposed to. Use caution." Soundwave shook a finger at the younger 'Con.

Sideswipe fidgeted. "I know, I know. Chrono starts…now." He transformed and sped out of the briefing room, leaving Soundwave to shake his head with a sigh. "Laserbeak, keep an optic on him, please."

The cassette chirped in acknowledgement and fluttered after Sideswipe.


	4. Chapter 3

**In answer to the question in a review, yes, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe are still brothers in this story. Sunny will show up later. **

**Argh. This chapter had to be written, and I hate myself for it. I'm sorry, Sides. I really am. Riella is a witch with a capital B. Don't get me started on Ricochet. **

**BIG WARNING on this chapter. This is one reason for the warnings in the Author's Note in the prologue. If you skipped that, I recommend reading it before you continue. You read it and you're still here? Okay. Seriously, I'm sorry about this. **

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Autobot Outpost**_

Sideswipe poked his head into the hall and looked around carefully. ::Soundwave, it's all clear. I'm in.::

Complete silence.

::Soundwave? I'm in.::

"Oh, sweetie, he can't hear you."

Sideswipe whirled and almost ran into Riella. The femme's sharp dentas were bared in a smirk as she grabbed his wrist, twisted until his gun clattered on the floor, and then twisted a little further. The struts and cables snapped with a sickening _crunch_. Sideswipe's face twisted in startled pain as Riella leaned in close, applying pressure to his broken arm.

"Guess you didn't get the memo," the femme smirked. Her free arm snaked up across his chest, fingers pinching deep into the cables of his neck. He made a quiet, pained sound as everything went limp and his optics started to darken. Riella's purr was the last thing he heard. "We knew you would come."

_**New Iacon Dungeons**_

Sideswipe's optics onlined to darkness. The only light came from Ricochet's headlights – the Autobot bodyguard was leaning over him and securing his wrists to something heavy and solid. Sensing movement, Ricochet smirked down at him. "Oooh, look who's awake."

The younger mech rolled his optics and shifted his good wrist, attempting to pull it out of the cuffs. Ricochet snickered and jerked the cuffs tight, causing Sideswipe to wince as his broken arm was crushed against the wall.

"That all you got?" Sideswipe muttered. _You're not gonna get anything out of me. _

A heavy servo landed on his shoulder from behind as Wheeljack growled wordlessly. Riella's headlights flicked on as she knelt in front of the chained Decepticon. "Do you want to know the answer to that, Sideswipe? Do you _really?_" she murmured, leaning forward so that her lips brushed against his audio.

Sideswipe tried to twist away and only succeeded in getting a cramp in his neck. "You already know what I'm going to say. Just get whatever you're going to do over with already."

"If that's what you want." Riella stood up and took a step back, her seductive purr switching to a crisp tone. "Where is the Decepticon base?"

"Disney World." Sideswipe smirked up at her. The smirk disappeared a second later as Wheeljack's fist smashed into his face, almost shattering one optic.

Riella's voice cracked like a whip. "Where is the Decepticon base?"

Still trying to recover his voice, Sideswipe just shook his head. The next blow caught him right over the fuel tanks, drawing a grunt of pain and forcing him to double over as far as possible with his arms chained to the wall.

"Where is the Decepticon base?"

Once again Sideswipe shook his head. Ricochet delivered the blow this time, so hard Sideswipe's head snapped back and hit the wall. It was followed by a second blow, then another, and another, some to the face, most to the torso, one or two hitting his broken arm, until the Decepticon was slumped against the wall, streaked with energon and fighting to keep from making a sound.

Riella leaned down and mockingly brushed energon from Sideswipe's forehead. "Trust me, this isn't the hard way. Not yet." One fingertip extended into a tiny, razor-sharp blade. "Where is the Decepticon base?"

Sideswipe raised his head and spat energon from his split lips directly in her optics. "Bite. Me. Bitch."

The tiny blade swiped across his forehead, opening a gash from one side of his helmet to the other. Riella brushed the energon off her face and shook her head. "You really didn't want to do that. Wheeljack, I've got somewhere to be..."

The scientist's grin was particularly eerie in the dim light. "Understood."

"I'll be back," Riella purred into Sideswipe's audio. The Decepticon gritted his dentas and glared at her back until she faded into the shadows. A door clanged somewhere in the distance, and Ricochet slid back into Sideswipe's line of vision, his grin widening.

"Don't worry," he hissed. "You'll survive _us_. You might not want to, of course..."

_**Medbay, New Iacon**_

"Ratchet!" Riella glanced around the empty infirmary. "_Ratchet!_"

The door to the back room slid open and the medic stepped out, red optics glinting with pleasure when he saw her. "Ah…it's been a long time since I've seen you in here, pretty girl. Did you miss me?"

She slapped him across the face.

"Well, now, what was _that _for?" Ratchet stared at her in disbelief.

Riella glared at him. "Would you like to explain why _Optimus Prime_, who hasn't shown any interest in my existence for a hundred years, knows who I've been sleeping with and why?"

Ratchet stared at her and started to laugh. "_Prime? _Prime actually cares who you sleep with?"

"He obviously knows," Riella snapped. "So, who _else_ do you talk to about me?"

"Sweetie, you've got it wrong." Ratchet went to pat her shoulder, but she glared at him until he backed off. "I told you discreet, I meant it. I haven't said a word to Prime on the subject."

"Wait…then how did he know?" Riella narrowed her optics.

Ratchet shrugged. "Maybe Prime's more interested in you than you think, hmm? Not that I blame him." He looked her up and down very deliberately. "Mm-hmm. Lovely. I'd be interested too if I were him."

The femme rolled her optics. "Not now, Ratchet, please." She turned on her heel and stormed out, activating her comlink. ::Arcee!::

::Whatwhatwhat?:: Arcee chirped mockingly. ::I've got your intel on Prowl and 't's useless. Jus' meetings and a fight wi' Jazz. You want the vid clip?::

A fight? Beyond the one over her? "Yes please. Leave it on a data chip in my room." Riella started back toward the entrance to the dungeon. "I think I've left Wheeljack and Ricochet on their own long enough."

***covers head* I'm sorry! Really! **


	5. Chapter 4

**Ugh. This chapter took forever to write and longer to edit. My lovely creative consultant (AKA "person who smacks me upside the head when my imagination goes out of control") made me edit out almost everything that happens in the dungeon. In retrospect, she was probably right. I've done enough to poor Sideswipe already. **

_**Chapter 4**_

_**New Iacon Dungeons**_

Riella frowned down at Sideswipe. The Decepticon was curled back against the wall, optics offline, with so much energon staining his frame that it was difficult to see his original teal coloring. "I assume you didn't get anything."

"Nope," Wheeljack grunted. "Not even a scream." He sounded disappointed.

"Mm. Pity." Riella shook her head. "If you've damaged him to the point where I can't get anything, you'll be taking his place." She knelt and tapped a raw gash in Sideswipe's shoulder lightly. Besides a slight twitch, there was no response. She leaned forward until her lips almost touched his. "Helloooo…anyone home?"

**CRACK. **Sideswipe's forehead smashed against Riella's with enough force to knock her away from him. She landed awkwardly on her aft, glaring at the Decepticon. Sideswipe grinned, displaying broken and bloody dentas, as his optics flickered erratically. "Nope. No one here. Come back later."

"Oooh, that was a _very _bad idea." Riella picked herself up, pointedly ignoring the snickers from Ricochet. The dent in her forehead throbbed. _Slag_, but he hit hard. The only consolation was that his head had to be aching even more, and he might be slightly 'out of it', as Ratchet would say. That could be exploited easily. "A very, very bad idea. Do you know what happens now?"

Sideswipe offlined his optics and curled in on himself again. "This is where you start hitting me until I talk. You're gonna be here a while."

"_Wrong_." Riella tapped a cut on his chin with one sharp fingertip, forcing his head up. Blue optics flickered again and glared into hers. "This is where I decide whether or not I'll get anything out of you. And if the answer is no, well…I don't honestly care what happens to you after that. You used to be one of us; you know how this works. If I walk away again, everyone else has permission to come down here…" She leaned in closer, purring softly. "…and do _whatever they want_."

The Decepticon's jaw tightened slightly. Oh, he knew what she was threatening. If she left, he'd never come out alive. Still, his optics held defiance and just a hint of _amusement_. "Bring it. Bitch. You know, that's really fun to say…"

Riella's fingers closed on his shoulder, biting into the armor and pulling him out of his curled position. Sideswipe made a startled sound of pain as the movement jarred multiple gashes and breaks to his torso plating. "I'm 'good cop'," she whispered. "You _don't_ want to see 'bad cop'. Tell me what I want and you won't have to."

Sideswipe leaned his head back to smile up at her. "Anyone ever tell you you're cute when you're mad?"

"Fine. If that's the way you want it." Riella stood, resisting the urge to rub the still-sore dent. "Ricochet, please inform the remainder of the base that this prisoner is no longer off-limits. Any information they get is welcome but not required."

Ricochet bared his fangs in a sinister smirk. "With pleasure."

"You won't see me again." The femme stared impassively down at Sideswipe. "But trust me, you'll be _begging _for someone with my sense of kindness before you die."

"Sure," Sideswipe grunted. "Whatever."

Riella made a rare sound of frustration and stormed out of the cell, waiting until she was on the stairs to soothe the dent in her forehead. _Slagging pit-spawned brat. That's going to _ruin _my looks for a week, and I don't need that on top of not getting anything from him. _Her turns as interrogator were rare enough, and she was proud of the fact that few mechs or femmes ever resisted her. _Jazz is going to get every bit of mileage he can out of this. _

She stalked quietly out of the dungeons and back toward her room. Maybe Mirage would be up for something a bit more entertaining than interrogation duty – she knew he was paired with the heavy-duty scout, Hound, for the week. _Not really a big fan of Hound. But if Mirage wants him around, and it keeps him from hassling me…besides, 'Raj and Hound might actually not notice that damned dent. Ratchet would spot it for sure._

"Busy schedule?"

Riella almost jumped, whirling around with one blade drawn. "What the –" She immediately retracted the blade as Optimus Prime stepped out of the shadows at the edge of the hall. "My lord." She dropped quickly to her knees. "I – I did not realize –"

"I am aware of that." Optimus moved to stand in front of the femme, staring impassively down at her. "I take it the interrogation did not end in information."

"N-no, my lord." Riella ducked her head a little further. "The Decepticon – he was particularly stubborn. I…" She trailed off. Optimus would not want excuses.

The Autobot leader stepped back and gestured impatiently. "Get up. You are not some human slave. I did not expect anyone to get information from Sideswipe. Deserter or not, traitor or not, he was once an Autobot. He will resist to the end. You were right to stop wasting time with him." Optimus started walking down the hall and motioned for Riella to follow. "I must have a word with Prowl and _remind _him to use more processing power when selecting captives for interrogation. I am not sure his spark is fully engaged in our mission…"

Riella honestly didn't have a response. This made no sense. Why was Optimus Prime taking the time to talk to _her_? She was just a scout. A femme scout with a nice frame, but that still didn't explain…

"Are you listening to me?"

Oops. Riella cleared her oral intake awkwardly. "Yes, my lord."

"Excellent." Optimus stopped and turned to face her. "I am assigning you to watch Prowl. Do not inform anyone. Report to me each evening."

Riella bowed. "As you wish, my lord."

"Dismissed." Optimus stalked away, leaving the femme staring in slight shock. _Okay. Optimus Prime just gave me a personal mission. This is very, very unusual. _


End file.
